


Time Travel Troubles

by Phelpstwinsandelftwins



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Original Character(s), Other, Revelations, Time Travel, WOOO SON THE REVEAL IS GONNA BE SUPER DRAMATIC JUST TRUST ME GUYS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 18:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2631659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phelpstwinsandelftwins/pseuds/Phelpstwinsandelftwins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Hook and Emma get together properly, they are visited by someone from the future - someone who reveals herself as their future daughter. Drama ensues. And maybe a little romance, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What’s up! A few housekeeping notes:  
> First, the background of the story is really silly and cliche. Like, all you really need to know is: at some point, around the time Henry was 15, Emma and Killian conceived a baby. Also around that time, it was decided that the magic sustaining Storybrooke was failing. So they all returned to the Enchanted Forest, with Emma and Henry coming this time. They all lived together happily ever after. It’s beautiful, really.
> 
> Second, if I mess up the timeline a little… forgive me.  
> Okay, let’s get started!

“Brother! Brother!” a young girl cried. Her blonde hair streaked behind her as she rushed to meet him. “Henry, what’s happening?”

Henry, in his late 20s and donned in the fine clothes of a prince, turned to hold his little sister close to him. She was only his half-sister, and he was 15 years her senior, yet he adored her. The panic in his eyes seemed obvious as booms and crashes rocked their grandparent’s castle.

“The Wizard is attacking the castle, Lily,” he said quickly, urging her towards the exit as he spoke. “Grandfather is leading the counter-attack with my other mo- uh, Aunt Regina, as we speak. We need to get you out.”

He was walking fast now, almost running, and Lily struggled to keep up with his larger strides. The enormity of the situation hit her all at once, and she struggled to control her panic. “The Wizard? The Wizard? Oh, by the gods!” she said. “Where’s mother?”

“She’s down at the docks, with your dad. They’re getting the navy prepared for an attack at the bay,” he answered her. “We need to get you down to the Jolly Roger. Your dad will get you out of danger.”

“Wait!” she demanded. “No! I don’t want to go! I can’t leave my family. I want to stay and help fight. I won’t go. I won’t!”

Henry let out a frustrated huff, before turning and leaning down to meet her eyes. It wasn’t that she was short, only that he was incredibly tall. He’d shot up remarkably during puberty.

“Lily, you’re too youn-“

“Neal gets to stay, and he’s only a few years older than me!”

“That’s different, Lily!”

“Why, because I’m a girl?”

“No! He’s the crown prince and that comes with certain responsibilities…”

“Both you and mother are in front of him in line for the throne.”

“It’s not like we want it! We’ll both defer, for the good of the kingdom. We weren’t raised for this like he was!”

“Ugh! Henry!”

“Lily! You’re trying to distract me and it’s not going to work!”

“Seems to be working fine to me!”

There was an ominous crash.

“Well, isn't this cute?”

Henry immediately dragged Lily behind him, pulling out his sword. “How did you get in here?” he asked the Wizard roughly.

The Wizard raised one thin eyebrow. “Uh… I’m magical,” he answered as if this were something a toddler should know. “I don’t even really need the army to take over the kingdom. I just like a little dramatic flair.”

“We have magic users of our own, you know!” Henry shouted. “You won’t find it so easy to kill us!”

The Wizard blinked. “Kill you? Whoever said anything about killing you?” a loud boom followed by screams in the courtyard below punctuated the sentence, and he shrugged. “No, dear. I’m not really into evil plans and death and murder and the like.”

Henry’s sword arm faltered, and his voice betrayed his uncertainty. “Then what do you want, Wizard?”

The Wizard laughed. “Wizard? Is that what they’re calling me? How absurd! I’m much more than that!”

Lily had finally had enough. She pushed her way out of Henry’s tight grip, ignoring his hissed protests, and glared up at the tall, oddly snake-like man.

“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice thick with frustration. Much like her mother and father, she was never one for games.

The man grinned. “I am a god,” he said as if he were sharing some great, juicy secret.

Henry’s gasped “God?”

The man rolled his eyes. “No not God, you idiot boy. A god. A trickster god, to be exact.”

Henry thought back to his childhood in Storybrooke, in a world that had hundreds, if not thousands of different gods. “What, like, Loki?”

“If you’d like,” the god said in a gracious tone. “I have many names, and that is one of them.”

“…and what does a god want with us?” Henry asked hesitantly. He’d never met a god before. Sure, he’d met incredibly powerful people before. Half of them were in his family, or extended family. But a god? He had to get Lily out of here before something happened.

“Nothing important, really,” ‘Loki’ laughed again. “As I said, I like playing tricks. I’ve been making my way through your kingdom, generally causing havoc. Apparently making a name for myself as a wizard of all things.” The word “wizard” was spoken with derision.

His turned his attention towards Lily again, and smiled. “What do you know about time travel, little dear?”

Lily fidgeted, uncomfortable under his suddenly intense stare. “I, uh. That it’s almost impossible to do, and very dangerous.”

“Near impossible for mortals, sweet one,” ‘Loki’ drawled. Henry moved toward Lily, alarmed at the man’s words, but found himself frozen in mid-step by magic. ‘Loki’ tutted at him.

“Not so impossible for trickster gods,” he continued, grinning at Henry. “And as for dangerous, well… sometimes the effects can be horrible. Entire lives can be erased. The bad guys can win. All because the time traveler stood on a butterfly.”

“Henry…” Lily whispered, scared by the conversation and its implications.

“But again,” ‘Loki’ said as if Lily hadn't spoken. “The effects of time travel only touch mortals. For people like me, it’s mostly just entertaining to watch…”

He voice trailed off, and he raised his hands. The air around the siblings seemed to crackle with electricity and come to life.

“Henry!” Lily said again, louder and more urgent. “Henry, what’s happening?”

But Henry couldn't speak, he couldn't move, he couldn't do anything but stand and watch in horror as his little sister started to fade out of existence.

“Don’t worry dear,” ‘Loki’ reassured. “You’re just going on a little trip to the past. The spell will eventually wear off and you’ll be returned to this time… if you still exist, that is.”

With one final laugh, he swung his cloak dramatically and disappeared from the room. The sounds of battle from outside the castle quietened, and Henry knew the trickster god’s armies had vanished too.

“I’m disappearing!” Lily sobbed, holding up her near invisible hands. Henry found that movement was returning to his body, and within a few seconds he was able to open his mouth enough to speak.

“Lily, I think you’re being sent to the past,” he said urgently. “Lily, sweetheart, you need to listen to me. Don’t panic. Calm down.”

“Okay, okay,” she breathed, staring at her fast disappearing feet. “The past. I can do this. He said the spell would end. I just have to wait it out. Hide somewhere I can’t change anything.”

Henry was able to nod. “Yes, exactly. Don’t change anything. Don’t tell anyone! You mustn't.”

Her chest was gone now, and her neck. “I love you Henry. Tell mother and father, too.”

“Lil-“

She was gone.

All at once, Henry regained full movement, and the doors crashed open. Emma Swan (or Jones, if you’d prefer. She never really minded what name she was given) and Captain Hook – now better known as Killian Jones, rushed into the room.

“Henry?” Emma asked, immediately alarmed by Henry’s horrified expression. “Henry, where’s your sister.”

Henry met his mother’s gaze, and Killian’s.

“Something… something has happened.”

Killian glanced around the room, as if hoping Lily would hop out from behind a suit of armor and yell “surprise” in her mischievous voice. “Where’s Lily? Where’s my daughter?”

\--  
Storybrooke, 17 years in the past.

Lily opened her eyes with groan, blinking up at a white roof. 

“Don’t move, dear. You hit your head pretty bad,” warned a kind, familiar voice. “Falling out of the sky isn’t exactly a safe activity for young women.”

“I’m not a young woman, I’m a pirate!” Lily exclaimed in a dazed voice. “A piraaaaaaaate. Yeeeeaaaaah.”

“Uh, Snow, maybe we should call back the doctor,” said a more anxious, male voice. It was familiar as well. Lily felt very safe.

Lily rolled over, searching for the source of the voices. She found two people, one male and one female, sitting near her bed. Oh, no wonder they were so familiar. “Hi grandpa. Hi grandma. Wow I love you both so much. Did you know that? So much!” Lily closed her eyes again, wanting to sleep off the dizziness, feeling safe with her family.

“Grandma?!” Grandma’s voice was shrill and alarmed. Why was she so worried by that word? That’s what Lily had always called her…

Wait.

Lily’s eyes snapped open, and her memories returned so quickly she felt like passing out again just to escape them.

She was in the past. 

“Don’t tell anyone!” her brother had warned her. Don’t change anything, the first rule of time travel.

And she’d already messed that up.

Damnit.

\--


	2. Uncle Rumple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snow White still hasn't learnt how to keep a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s chapter two. Enjoy, nerds.  
> Also, I clarified the timeline a little bit more in this chapter. Lily has landed in the gap between season 3 and 4. After Hook and Emma returned from the past and had their giant make-out session, but before Else made her dramatic appearance. We’re going to pretend that Elsa hid out in the forest for a few days for the sake of the story, ok? Ok.  
> According to this timeline, Lily will be conceived 2-3 years from now. Wow, Hook works fast amirite. Also, yes, Emma has kissed Hook, but they’re not “together” together. No one thinks they’re end-game yet, so don’t worry, Lily being their daughter will still come as a surprise.  
> Onwards!

Snow White kept half her mind on the hysterical girl on the bed in front of her, and the other half on her sleeping newborn son in the other room. His safety was her first priority, although she doubted the mysterious teenage girl in front of her meant any harm. Especially not now that she’d called herself and David her grandparents, and apparently regretted it.

 

“Wait, no!” the girl cried mournfully. “I didn’t mean it. I was just delirious. Didn’t know what I was saying. I’ll just go now. Thanks for looking after me, bye.”

 

The girl made to get out of the bed, but cowered under Snow’s unimpressed look. She slowly slipped back under the covers and laughed nervously.

 

“Nice try, kiddo,” said David. “What’s your name?”

 

Lily groaned. “Please just let me go?”

 

Snow shook her head. “Sorry, but you fall out of the sky, look oddly like my daughter, then call me grandma?” Snow spoke as if checking items off a list. “Not a chance. You’re staying with us. Now, again, what’s your name?”

 

The girl pouted. “You’re both much meaner in this time, you know that? My name is Lily.”

 

“And you’re Emma’s daughter?” Snow asked. Hope filled her so completely she thought she might burst. Her daughter would get a happy ending with her own family!

 

“Well, I’m certainly not Henry.” Lily was sulking, apparently. David hid a laugh behind a cough.

 

“Who’s your father?” Snow was now the delirious one, except her mood was caused by happiness. “Oh, I bet he’s a handsome prince!”

 

Lily stared at her grandmother, but part of her was comforted to see that Snow’s familiar, buoyant personality had returned. Clearly, she had landed in a time before her mother and father had gotten together officially. She’d always been told that it’d been touch-and-go for a long while.

 

“I really can’t say. I shouldn’t be here. I’ve probably already completely ruined the future by meeting you guys, let alone telling you both who I am.” Lily put her head in her hands and sighed deeply. “I’ve ruined everything. I’m such an idiot.”

 

David, who had been watching the scene with a serious expression, turned to speak to his wife.

 

“Snow, she’s right,” he said. “Uh, not about the idiot part. But the rest. She’s shouldn’t be here, talking to us. She could change something and end up not being born. The fact we know who she is could put her in serious danger. No one else can know.”

 

Snow’s demeanor changed quickly from a happy new grandmother, to a solemn and thoughtful woman who was determined to protect her family.

 

“Okay,” she said slowly, still thinking. “Lily, we need to hide you somewhere. Then we’re going to have to figure out how to get you back to your own time. How did you end up here, anyway?”

 

Lily perked up, excited to finally be able to add something useful to the conversation. “You don’t have to worry about getting me back. The spell…it was accidentally cast, you see… well, it should wear off eventually and I’ll get back to my own time,” she explained. She carefully omitted the information about the trickster god. It wasn’t really relevant. All they needed to know was she was here against her own will, and she would leave again easily enough. Hopefully. “I just need to stay hidden and eventually I’ll fade away. But… the fact that the two of you know who I am could still change something.”

 

“You’re right,” David agreed. “We need something to help us forget we ever met you.”

 

They all paused.

 

“Could you…” Lily began, sounding hesitant. “Could you take me to Uncle Ru- uh. I mean, Rumplestiltskin.”

 

Snow decided to firmly ignore the “Uncle” part, and focus on the plan. “He’s called Mr. Gold here, and yes, I think he’ll be able to help us… if he wants to.”

 

“Mr. Gold. Yes, I remember hearing that.” Lily nodded, rising from the bed again. “And he’ll help. He has as much reason to want to save my future as I do. Not that he knows it now, but I’m sure I can convince him. And I’m also sure he’ll be able to erase your memories, and his own, of ever meeting me.”

 

The three stood in unison. “Alright, let’s do this. Lily, try to stay out of sight if you can. We’ll need to drop Neal with Belle at the library on our way, I don’t want him involved in any of this,” said Snow.

 

Lily avoided reacting to the fact that her uncle was here as a baby. At least she had a better idea of what year this was.

 

They headed for the door, towards the library, where Snow went in alone, then Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop.

\--

Lily couldn’t help but stare as she walked down Storybrooke’s main street. Well, maybe walk wasn’t the right word. More like “sneak”. She had a suspicion that her grandpa was laughing at her poor attempts at being subtle and unnoticeable, but she wouldn’t dignify that with any sort of response.

 

The cars, the buildings, the electricity. She’d been conceived here, but born in the Enchanted Forest. She’d grown up with stories of The World Without Magic, so the things here didn’t seem entirely unfamiliar. She felt she could name almost everything, but still, they were sights she hadn’t seen before. However, she kept her awe to herself. She was a princess and princesses didn’t walk around with their mouths open, damnit. (At that moment, a motorcycle roared past. She stopped and stared with her mouth wide open. David had to drag her along.)

 

Finally, the trio reached Mr. Gold’s shop, and the door let out a merry jingle as it opened.

 

“Ah,” said the familiar, low voice of Rumplestiltskin. Auntie Belle used to tell Lily of a time when her Uncle Rumple spoke with a high-pitched, off-putting voice, like a creature. She was glad she’d never heard it, she much preferred his comforting drawl. “Mister and missus Charming. I was not aware there was some new catastrophe in town. How can I help?”

 

At the moment, Lily came into his view from behind David’s broad shoulders. Mr. Gold paused, and watched her closely. 

 

“You’re not from here,” he said.

 

“No,” she confirmed. “No I’m not. I’m not from this time either. I’m from the future.”

 

“The future?” he said. Lily couldn’t decide whether he sounded excited or exasperated. “Let me guess, you’ve changed something?”

 

Lily looked ashamed. “I didn’t mean to!” she defended herself. “I was just-“

 

Snow stepped in, sensing an impending tantrum of some sort. “Look, Gold, we just need something to erase our memories of her, and yours too. She doesn’t need any help getting back to her time. We just need to minimize the damage.”

 

Gold nodded. “Aye, I could do that,” he said. “But why should I?”

 

Lily sighed. This wasn’t the Rumple she knew at all – her Uncle Rumple never demanded anything in return for the gifts he gave her (and he gave a lot). But she knew, again from Auntie Belle’s stories, that this was the Rumplestiltskin who never did anything unless he gained something from it.

 

“If I change the past, you might never meet your future children,” she said loudly, gaining the adults’ attention.

 

Immediately, Gold’s demeanor changed. “C-children?”

 

“Well, seeing as you’re going to erase your memories anyway…” she spoke with an air of consideration.

 

Gold couldn’t hide his curiosity. For all his flaws, his love for children, especially his own, couldn’t be denied. “Yes?”

 

“You and Auntie Belle have three children,” she said, watching as his eyes lit up. “I call them my cousins. They’re all younger than me, but I practice magic with the eldest sometimes. She’s much better at it than I am.”

 

“A daughter?” Gold breathed reverently.

 

Lily nodded. “Yes, and twin sons. They’re very much like Auntie Belle. Kind and gentle and studious. Your daughter’s like you. Very magically powerful, and, well, a little bit mad.” She smiled fondly.

 

Gold ignored that. “If we don’t forget, something might change. They might not exist.” He looked horrified at the thought. “I’ll help you. Erasing the thoughts of one person is easier with a potion, but for a group a spell is easier. It’ll take me a while to get it ready.” He turned to Snow and David. “The two of you need to hide her, somewhere in the woods where she can’t change anything or meet anyone else. Give me two days.”

 

Snow nodded at his words, and David moved towards Lily, ready for action.

 

Just then, the bell to the shop chimed again, and four heads moved in horrified unison towards the opening door. 

 

“Wait! No! Don’t come i-,“ David cried.

 

But he was too late. Emma Swan, looking a little alarmed at her father’s reaction, stepped through the door.

 

“What… what’s going on?” she asked. “I saw the two of you sneak in here, and I was worried. I thought I could help…”

 

Her eyes took a quick inventory of the scene in front of her. Nothing seemed terribly wrong. If it weren’t for the fact it was Mr. Gold, she’d assume nothing was amiss at all.

 

Then, her eyes landed on a blonde haired, blue-eyed girl half hidden behind her father. The girl looked anxious, and was staring at Emma with an intensity that made her uncomfortable.

 

“Who’s this?” she asked.

 

“Oh no,” said the girl.

 

“Snow, don’t,” David warned.

 

Snow danced on the spot. “I’m no good at keeping secrets!” she cried.

 

“Snow, you can’t!” David said more urgently.

 

“What is going on?” Emma demanded. “What secret? Who is this?”

 

“I can’t lie!” Snow said, looking miserable. “Emma… thisisyourdaughter.”  
\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damnit, Snow, this is why we can’t have nice things!  
> Haha, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one should be up within the next few days if all goes well.  
> Remember, any dramatic scenes or conversations you want to see happen? Just ask. This story is here to be an indulgent, dramatic revelation fic. I’m here to give you guys what you want. (because I’m trash. I’m trash. Just. Trash).  
> A review and favourite would really make my day!

**Author's Note:**

> So… there's the first chapter. Should I continue, or is it completely hopeless? Let me know whether it's worth continuing. I'm having fun with it.
> 
> Also, time travel fics are really just supposed to be self-indulgent and fun. So if there's anything you guys would like to see happen, just let me know!
> 
> -Phelpstwinsandelftwins


End file.
